ACCELERATE ACTION: THE TIME FOR CHANGE IS NOW

LAURA TOOP

For years, we’ve talked about gender equality. But conversations don’t create change—action does. We’ve celebrated progress, hosted panels, and launched initiatives. Yet too often, efforts stall at surface-level gestures—policies that exist on paper but fail to shift real power dynamics.

Awareness is not enough. The time for accelerated action is now.

The Challenges Facing Women In Leadership Today

Despite progress, women in leadership still face deeply ingrained barriers that awareness alone won’t dismantle. The data speaks for itself:

1. The Action Gap

• Only 10% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women and the numbers remain stagnant (Fortune, 2024).

• Women are promoted at a slower rate than men at every leadership level, creating a longterm leadership deficit (McKinsey & LeanIn, 2023).

• Real action means accountability at every level—not just ‘women in leadership’ initiatives that don’t move the needle.

2. The Resilience Trap

• Women are told to ‘be more resilient.’ But resilience has become a survival strategy—not a solution.

• A 2023 Harvard Business Review study found that women are more likely than men to experience burnout from workplace inequities, yet they’re still expected to ‘push through.’

• We don’t need women to push through—we need systems to change so that women don’t have to fight for basic fairness.

3. The Leadership Bias

• Women in leadership are still judged more harshly than men.

• A Yale University study found that women who negotiate for higher salaries are viewed as “less likable” compared to men.

• Leadership must evolve—valuing emotional intelligence, adaptability, and collaboration, not just outdated ‘command and control’ models.

4. The Lack of Male Engagement

• Gender equality is not a women’s issue—it’s a leadership issue.

• Just 48% of men see gender equality as a leadership priority, compared to 73% of women (McKinsey, 2023).

• Allyship isn’t passive support—it’s active sponsorship. It’s using influence to create opportunities and challenge bias in real time.

THE SOLUTIONS: MOVING BEYOND TOKENISM

1. Reframe Leadership

• We don’t need more side initiatives. Leadership must change from the inside out, not through surface-level projects

• Allyship must be built into the DNA of leadership—not an afterthought.

2. Shift from Mentorship to Sponsorship

• Women don’t just need mentors—they need sponsors who open doors.

• Men hold 62% of senior leadership positions globally. If they’re not actively sponsoring women, the gap will persist (Catalyst, 2024).

• Track who gets promoted, who gets visibility, and who sits at decision-making tables—then correct the imbalance.

3. #TogetherAsAllies: The Framework for Lasting Change

• Allyship must be action-oriented. This is about men and women working together— not women fighting for change while men ‘support from the sidelines.’

• #TogetherAsAllies isn’t about fixing women— it’s about fixing leadership.

4. Measure Impact, Not Intent

• If we can’t measure progress, we’re not making any.

• Ask the hard questions: o Who is moving into decision-making roles? o Who is being sponsored? o Where are the real changes happening?

WHY NOW? THE WORLD IS AT AN INFLECTION POINT

Ten years ago, my world imploded. I lost my husband, my career, and my health in an instant. At first, survival was tactical, not strategic—turning the unknown into the known, one small step at a time. There was no grand vision. Just a need to keep moving.

But momentum grows. And with it, a vision emerges—not just for yourself, but for the world. That’s where we are now.

The world is experiencing uncertainty, complexity, and disruption—but like I did back then, we don’t need abstract theories. We need action.

#TogetherAsAllies was built for this moment. We are more similar than we are different, and we are better together.

A CALL TO ACTION: WHO WILL DRIVE THE CHANGE?

The real question isn’t if change will happen. It’s who will step up and lead it.

• Will leaders embed allyship?

• Will organisations challenge outdated norms?

• Will individuals actively open doors for women?

Change isn’t theoretical. It’s practical. It happens when people choose to act.

So, what role will you play?

#TogetherAsAllies | #IWD2025 | #Leadership | #AccelerateAction